Abnormal ECG - LVH,

I have a very abnormal ecg that shows LVH. I am (female)52, fairly physically fit, normal weight, normal bloodwork, good BP. I have no symptoms. My echocardiogram shows a normal heart and my recent radioisotopes stress test shows a normal heart.
How can this be?
My ECG 16 years ago was normal, so the ECG changes have come in the past 16 years (when I started law school and under alot of stress).
One thing did happen though when my heart rate was returning to normal during the stress test and my heart rate was going down at 78 and it quickly jumped up to 167 for 6 beats.  I felt it and it is something that has happens on a regualar basis for the past many years (gets worse with caffeine and stress). The cardiologist has no answers but says that my next test will be a holter monitor to watch the heart rate.

Many thanks
Tessa10

[Cleveland Clinic]

Tessa,

Thanks for the post.

The ECG interpretation of LVH has a lot of false positives. This is due to a number of factors. The gold standard for LVH is measurments taken by echocardiography. If you echo was normal, I wouldnt be overly concerned by your findings on the ECG, unless the ecg with the LVH findings had changed morphology or showed evidence of preexcitation (This would be seen by your cardiologist).

If you are having episodes of palpitations a holter or event monitor is usefult o show the cardiac rhythm during these episodes.


good luck

[PikaPika88]

Hi Tessa,

Could you tell me where to see LVH in the ECG?  Would it tell how enlarge it is?  My echocardiogram showed slightly enlarge left ventricle but all the dr said my ECG is normal.  

Pika